Warp stop-motion for looms



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No. 536,969. Patented Apr. 2, 1895'.

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- C; F. ROPER.

WARP STOP'MOTION FOR LOOMS.

No. 536,969. n Patented Apr. 2, 1895.

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WARP STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS. No. 536,969. vPaAzented Apr. 2, 1895.

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STATES CHARLES F. ROPER, OF I-IOPEDALE,

PATENT Orrrcnci MASSACHUSETTS, ASsIeNoR To THE WARP STOP-MOTION FORLOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,969, dated April 2,1895.

Application filed September 4, 1893. Serial No. 484,723. (No model l) Toall whom, it may con/067%:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. ROPER, of I-Iopedale, county ofWorcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in WarpStop-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve that class of loom whereinthe heddles, used to control the warp in the formation of the shed forthe reception of the weft or filling, are made instrumental inautomatically stopping the loom when a warp thread breaks.

The heddles in the form in which I have herein chosen to illustrate myinvention are represented as composed of thin sheet-metal stripsprovided each with a warp receiving eye and with an elongated eye whichis entered by a cross-bar of less depth than the length of saidelongated eye, said cross-bar forming part of a harness frame, saidelongated eye enabling the heddle co-operating with the warp threads putinto the lower plane of the shed to be sustained wholly by said threadsin such manner than when a warp thread in the warp, rather than at rightangles thereto.

The elongated slots referred to enable the heddles to be movedlongitudinally independently of the cross-bar of the harnessframe. Inorder, however, to enable those heddles co-operating with the unbrokenwarp threads in the lower plane of the shed to be properly held up outof the path of movement of said feeler I have had to combine with thedescribed heddles strung on the cross-bar, as described, means forarresting the warp threads in what is to be the bottom plane of the shedbefore the crossbar of the heddleframe has completed its full descent toeffect the opening of the shed, said arresting means being hereinexhibited as rods or bars extended across the loom from side to side,one being located directly behind and the other directly in front of theheddles, and prefer whatever may be the form of the heddle.

ably close to the vertical plane in which the heddles are to move, thearrestingmeans, by supporting the warp threads close to where the said'threads hold up the weight of the heddles, preventing the unevendropping of the heddles, as it is obvious would be the case owing to thevery considerable distance between the usual whip-roll and the fell ofthe cloth.

A support for the warpv in the lower plane of the shed and near thevertical plane in which the heddles work is a necessity for the completesuccess of my invention, and this The employmentl of a thin sheet Vmetalheddle, as herein illustrated, in combination with a feeler movingparallel to the warp-threads is also advantageous, for in such plan thestrain on a dropped heddle comes in the line of its greatest resistanceto strain, which would not-be the case if the feeler should be worked ina line at right angles to the length of the warp.

In order to enable thin sheet metal heddles to be used and not betwisted out of shape when struck by the feeler in case a warp breaks, Ihave provided the loom with heddle guides made as bars independent ofthe harness frames, and notched for the reception of the edges of thoseheddles controlling the warp threads put into the lower plane of theshed, said notches also preventing any lateral dis placement of thelower ends of the lowered heddles. The feeler or vibrator is alsonotched at its acting edgeto embrace the edge of the heddle struck byit, both edges of a lowered heddle when struck by thefeeler being, itwill be understood, embraced by notched portions of the guide-bar andfeeler, and hence said heddles cannot be shifted laterally, oroverturned, or twisted out of shape or bent. This provision to preventlateral displacement of the dropped heddles, as well as to prevent themfrom being twisted or bent, is Aanother important feature of thisinvention. The feeler or vibrator herein shown, it constituting a partor member of a stop-motion mechanism, is also as. herein shown supportedindependently of the harness frames, thus reducing the weight of saidframes, andconsequently the strain on the cording supporting saidframes, and the power required to open the shed.

As before stated, the elongated slots at the ends of the heddles fit thecross-bars of the heddle-frames loosely and in such manner that saidheddles may move vertically of the bars, the heddles, however, when thebar carrying them is depressed to thus put the threads controlled by itinto the lowest plane of the open shed resting each one on a warpthread, each thread sustaining its own heddle and consequently in caseany one thread in the lower plane of the shed should be broken theheddle which contained it may drop by gravity for a distance determinedby the'slots referred to, thus placing the said heddle in the range ofmovement of a suitable vibrator or feeler forming part of a stop motionmechanism, the arresting of the movement of the vibrator or feelercausing the usual shipper handle of the loom to be released todisconnect the driving power from the usual power or cross shaft of theloom.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a sufficient portion of a loomwith my improvements added to enable my invention to be understood; theshed being shown as open. Fig. 2 is a right-hand side view of the loom,said iigure showing parts broken away from Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail enlarged of the heddleframe and heddles, such figure also showing a portion of the whip rolland portions of the warp stop motion mechanism. Fig. 5 shows one of theheddles enlarged. Fig. 5 shows three of the heddles side by side. Fig.5b is a section in the dotted line Fig. n. Fig. G is a partial plan Viewof the vibrator or feeler co-operating with the heddle. Figs. 7 and 8show parts of a heddle and parts of the devices co-operating therewith,the vibrator or feeler being shown in different positions. Fig. 9 is adetail to be referred to, said figure showing the controller for theshipper handle in different positions.

The loom frame A, the crank or lay shaft A' therein, having suitablefast and loose pulleys adapted to receive a belt under the control of abelt shipper A2, the cross or cam shaft A3, the lay A4 carrying a reed,the Whip roll A5, the shipper handle A, and the notched plate AT to holdit in place while the loom is moving properly, are and may be all ascornnion intloonis.

I have attached to the uprights AX, one at each side the loom frame,suitable like stands B having bearings for the reception of journals ofone or more, preferably two, warp arresting or supporting devicesillustrated as rolls or rods b, shown best in Figs. l and 3, said rollsor rods being represented as suiticiently separated to permit theheddles or harness frames to move between them. The warp arresting rodsor rolls besides possessing the advantages hereinbefore stated alsoinsure the retention in a definite and in substantially the samehorizontal plane or level of all the warp threads iu the lower half ofthe shed, thus insuring a more uniform opening for the passage of theshuttle, and further, owing to the fact that the warps contact with thearresting devices, whatever tendency the individual warp threads withthe weight of the heddles on them might otherwise have to sway or swinglaterally is substantially negatived.

I have herein shown a loom having two heddle frames each frame beingcomposed essentially of a bottom bar a, a top bar a', said bars beingconnected as shown best in Fig. 4, by side bars a2, thus making a rigidquadrilateral frame.

Each heddle frame has suitably attached to it heddle carrying bars c,the connection in this instance ot'l my invention being by suitablebolts c.

Fig. 5 shows one of the heddles d separated from the heddle frame, saidheddle being flat for its whole length and width, and having preferablya round central warp thread receiving eye 2, and, as herein represented,said heddle has long slots 3 and et at its upper-and lower ends, saidslots receiving through them the bars c, the slots being preferablylonger than the bars are wide, so as to let the heddles have a movementvertically independently of the vertical movement of the heddle frameand bars.

The upper bars a of the heddle frames are connected by suitable straps0.4, a5, with pulleys a mounted in a suitable stand ci?, while the lowerbars a of the heddle frames are connected by suitable straps as and a",with the levers am, 0.12, pivoted ata13 on a cross girt of the loomframe, said levers each having preferably a suitable roller which isacted upon by a suitable cam as al, a, carried by the cross shaft A3before referred to. These cams, levers, straps and pulley are and may beall as usual in looms for weaving cotton cloth.

I have shown the loom frame as provided with guides e, extended from oneto the other side of the loom, the harness frames bearing against saidguides during their vertical movement, said guides steadying the harnessframes especially when the vibrator or feeler to be described acts upona dropped heddle. These guides are notched as shown, to act in engaginga dropped heddle to better advantage so as t0 prevent its twisting whenbeing acted on by the vibrator.

The loom frame has suitable bearings for a rocker shaft f provided withsuitable vibrators or feelers composed essentially of barsf, adapted tobe moved in a direction parallel to the length of the warp threads, andshown as sustained entirely independently of the harness-frames, therebeing two such bars shown in this my present invention, said bars beingcarried by armsf2 connected with said rock-shaft, said bars beingpreferably notched or toothed at their acting edges as best representedin Fig. 6, said teeth by embracing IOO the edges of the heddlesobviating twisting the same out of proper position or obvi'atingthrowing the heddles laterally outv of place on their carrying bars.

The rock-shaftf, see Figs-1, 2 and 3, has fast upon it just outside theloom frame a controller lever g having a toe g', a heel g2 eX- tendedinwardly from one side of it, as represented by dotted lines in Figs. 2and 9, and in full lines Fig. 3, and a pin or projection g3, a spiralspring g4 operatively connected to one arm of said controllerleveracting normally to keep the toe g of the said lever in contact with thecam G fast on the shaft A3, said cam having extended from its rear sidesuitable pins or projections as h, said projections in the rotation ofthe said cam being adapted when` the loom is working properly and thewarpsare unbroken, to pass under the elevated end, see Fig. 9, ot' theconnecting rod h attached to the shipper handle A6, the said rod at suchtime resting upon the heel g2 referred to and between it and the saidpin g3, as best represented in Fig. 9, butin case a heddle drops intothe position shown by one of the heddles in Fig. 1,-t-he warp threadthen in the lower plane of the shed and which should then support saidheddle having been broken-, the feeler will strike said heddle and willprevent the toe ofthe controller le ver `from going back to the cam, andin such position of the controller lever, the end of the rod h will bein the path of movement of one of the projections h, as in Fig. 2, sothat said .projection in the further movement of the cam will disengagethe shipper handle from the notch in the usual holding plate and willpermit said released shipper handle to operate in the usual mannerthrough usual devices to cause the belt shipper or other equivalentdevice used, to pass the belt from the fast onto the loose pulley, thusstopping the loom. The lay` has a reed r of usual construction.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A heddle frame provided with a cross-bar and a series of metallicheddles adapted to move independently of said bar, and having also eachan eye for the reception of a warp thread, combined with a roll or rodextended across the loom under the warp, said roll or rod supporting thewarp threads brought to the lower plane of the shed in adetinite hori-Zontal plane, thus insuring the retention at a definite point of thelower ends of those heddles which rest by their weight on the warpthreads in the lower plane of the shed during the insertion ot' thefilling, substantially as described.

2. Aheddle-frame provided with a cross-bar and a series ofmetallicheddles adapted to move independently of said bar, said heddleshaving each an eye to receive a warp thread, combined with two rolls orrods extending across the loom under the warp, one of said rolls or rodsbeing in front and the other behind the vertical planes in whichsaidheddles move, said rolls or rods supporting the warpthreads enteringinto the lower plane ot' the shed thereby enabling said threads in turnto uniformly support the heddles controlling the warp threads in thelower plane of the shed, and a stop-motion mechanism co-operating withany heddle which is dropped by reason of the breakage of the threadwhich should sustain it, substantially as described.

3. A heddle-frame having a horizontal bar, a series of metallic heddleshaving elongated slots and strung thereon and having thread holes,lcombined with a vibrator having notches to engage the edge of theheddle when dropped, and means to move said vibrator back and forth inthe direction of the length of the warp, and a notched guide, as e, toreceive the edge of the dropped heddle, substan` tially as described.

4. A heddle frame having a transverse bar, a series of flat metallicheddles having elongated slots and strung loosely on said bar andadapted to be moved vertically thereon independently of the movement ot'said bar, a vibrator supported independently of said frame, and ashipper handle, combined with a controller lever, devices to connectsaid vibrator with said controller lever, devices to actuate saidcontroller lever, and a connection between said controller lever andsaid shipper handle, to operate, substantially as described.

5. In a loom the following instru mentalities, Vizz-a shipper handle; aheddle frame having a transverse bar; a series of flat metallic heddleshaving elongated slots and mounted loosely on said bar and adapted tomove vertically thereon independently of the movement of the heddleframe; a series of guides, as e, for the loweredges of said heddleslocated below said heddle frame; a vibrator to engage the edge of saidheddles when dropped; devices to move said vibrator back and forth inthe direction` of the length of the warp, combined with a controllerlever; devices to actuate it; and a connection between said conv trollerlever and said shipper handle, substantially as described.

6. In a loom the following instrumentalities, viz:--a heddle framehaving a bar; a series of metallic heddles supported upon said bar andadapted to be moved vertically independently of the position of saidbar, combined with a vibrator supported independently of the heddleframe and adapted to engage the end of the heddle when dropped, andmeans to move said vibrator back and forth in the direction of thelength of the warp, substantially as described.

7. In a loom, a harness frame having a crossbar, a series of heddleshaving each a thread eye and an elongated slot near its end to embraceand be slid vertically on said bar, combined with a notched guide-bar toreceive and guide the lower ends of the heddles controlling the warpthreads moved into the lower IOO 1o warp threads, and a guide for thesame below the plane of the warp, combined with a vibrator having anotched edge, and with devices to move said vibrator back and forth inthe direction of the length of the Warp, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hm'e signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. ROYER.

Witnesses:

E. D. BANoRoFr, H. F. SEARLEs.

